Clasp and belt-holder.



m. Mama Patented Fab. l2, l90l. w. w. BRUCE.

GLASP AND BELT HOLDER.

(Application filed Oct. 20, 1900.)

{No Model.)

ms Norms PETERS on. PHOTO-LYING" WASHINGTON, n, c.

hiatus Parent Urrrcn.

WILLIr-tlll WALLACE BRUCE,

OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CLASP AND BELT-HOLDER.

SPEGIFICATI'OM forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,088, dated February 12, 1901.

Application filed October 20, 1900. Serial No. 33,730. \NO model-J To rtZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WALLACE BRUCE, residing at Baltimore, in the State of IiI-aryland, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps and Belt-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in clasps, and has for an object, among others, to provide an improved construct-ion of combined clasp and belt-holder for use with shirt-waists for men and which will clasp the shirtwaist, trousers, and drawers and will hold the belt; and the invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention as in use. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on about line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view taken from the rear of my clasp. Fig. 4: is a side view of the clasp. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the lever and cover plate. Fig. '7 is a detail perspective view of the main plate. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the clamping-plate, and Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the rubber pad.

In carrying out my invention I provide a main plate having keepers for the belt, a clamping-plate on one side of the main plate for securing the shirt waist, drawers, and trousers, and a lever and cover plate on the opposite side of the main plate and which lever operates the clamping-plate and also forms a cover for the belt.

In the construction shown the main plate A is provided atits upper and lower ends with returned portions B and O, which form keepers for the opposite edges of the belt D, the latter being fitted in the keepers B and O, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The plate A is also provided near its upper end with backwardly-turned lugs E, which are perforated at e for the passage of the pivot pin F, and immediately above the lugs E the plate A is cut away at its opposite edges, forming the upwardly-facing shoulders G for the purpose presently described.

The clamping-plate H (shown in detail in Fig. 8) is provided with the forwardly-projecting lugs I, perforated at 2' for the passage of the pin F, by which the plate H is pivoted to the plate A, and the upper arm 11 of the clamp H is deflected forwardly toward the upper end of the plate A preferably by curving the arm H grad ually toward its upperend, as best shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5.

At its lower end the plate H is adapted to clamp the shirt-waist, drawers, and trousers between it and the main plate A, as shown in Fig. 2, and it may he preferred in some instances to provide a rubber cap J upon the lower end of the clamp I-I, so it will have a secure hold upon the garments without injury to the same. In securing the shirt-waist it is preferred to fold the skirt of same upwardly, as shown at K of Fig. 2, Lb us doubling the shirt-waist, as will be understood from said figure.

The combined lever and cover plate L is provided near its upper end with the rearwardly-projecting lugs M, which are perforated at m for the passage of the pin N, by which the plate L is pivoted. This pin N is passed through the lugs M and fits within the upper returned portion B of the plate A, such re-turned portion B forming a bearing for the pin N. When the plate L is thus pivoted to the plate A, the lugs M fit and bear above the upwardly-facing shoulders G of the plate A, and the upper arm 0 of the lever L is deflected rearwardly over the returned portion B and engages with the forwardly-deflected arm H of the clamp H in such manner as to operate the clamp H, the special construction of the plate H, lever L, with its lugs fitting above the shoulders G and held by the pivot-pin N, operating to hold the lever L to the plate A. At its lower end the lever L when closed overlaps the lower returned portion G of the plateA and forms a retaining-cover for the belt D, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 2. It will thus be seen the upper returned portion of the plate A has a double function in that it aids in forming the pivotal connection between the parts L and A, as well as a means for securing the upper edge of the belt.

By deflecting the upper edge of the lever L at O to engage the forwardly-deflecting arm of the clamp II it is evident there is a gradual operation of the clamp with great force in such manner that the lever-plate when turned to its closed position, as shown in Fig. 5, will .what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A clasp and belt-holder substantially as described, consisting of the main plate provided at its upper and lower ends with re- .turned portions adapted to overlap the opposite edges of the belt, the upper re-turned portion also forming a bearing for one of the pivot-pins, said main plate being provided near its upper end with cut-away portions providing upwardly-facing shoulders at its opposite edges, and being also provided with back-turned lugs, the clampplate having lugs lapping alongside and pivoted to the lugs of the base-plate and having its upper arm deflected toward the upper end of the main plate, and the combined lever and cover plate provided near its upper end with backward-turned lugs fitting above the upwardlyfacing shoulders of the main plate and having above said lugs a rearwardly-deflected portion arranged to engage the deflected portion of the clamp-section and arranged at its lower end to overlap in closed position, the re-turned portion of the main plate and the pivot-pin passed through the lugs of the leverplate and fitting within the upper re-turned portion of the main plate, substantially as set forth.

2. A clasp substantially as described, comprising a main plate having keepers for the belt, a clamp on one side of said main plate for securing the shirt-waist and drawers, and a plate on the opposite side of the main plate arranged to operate the clamp-plate and to form a cover for the belt, substantially as set forth- 3; The combination in a clasp substantially re-turned portions forming keepers for the belt, a lever and cover plate in the front of said main plate and overlapping the upper and lower keepers, and the clamp at the rear side of the main plate and arranged for operation by the level-plate, substantially as described.

4. A clasp substantially as described, comprising a main plate, a clamp at the rear side of the main plate for securing the garments, and a combined lever and belt-covering plate on the front of the main plate and arranged to operate the clamp and to form a cover for the belt, substantially as set forth.

5. A clasp substantially as described, comprising a main plate constructed on its outer side to form a keeper for the belt, a clamp on the inner side of the main plate for securing the garments, and a lever-plate on the outer side of the main plate and arranged to operate the clamp substantially as described.

6. A clasp substantially as described comprising a main plate, a clamp-plate pivoted to the main plate and having a forwardly-deflected arm at its upper end and the leverplate pivoted to the main plate on the opposite side thereof from the clamp-plate and provided at its upper end with a rearwardlydeflected arm having a sliding engagement at its free end with the forwardly-deflected arm of the clamp-plate substantially as set forth.

7. In a clasp the combination of the main plate having upwardly-facing shoulders G and a re-turned portion B above said shoulders, the clamping-plate, the lever and cover plate provided with the lugs M fitting above and bearing upon the shoulders G, and the pin passed through the lugs M and bearing within the returned portion B substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM wALLAoE BRUCE.

Witnessesz' EDWARD H. CoNDoN, CHARLES LEE MENIKEN. 

